Slide-type hand wrench



Oct. 27, 1959 G. JANSEN SLIDE-TYPE HAND WRENCH Filed Nov. 18, 1958FIG.4A

INVENTOR.

GERHART JANSEN BY W. W W

HIS ATTORNEY FIG. 3A

United States Patent O SLIDE-TYPE HAND WRENCH Gerhart Jansen, Salt LakeCity, Utah Application November 18, 1958, Serial N 0. 774,716

7 Claims. (Cl. 81-130) This invention relates to hand wrenches, and moreparticularly, to a new and improved slide-type hand wrench which may beadjusted extremely rapidly for various sizes of nuts, pipe, et cetera.

In the past almost innumerable types of hand wrenches have been devisedfor use in machine shops, production lines, automobile garages, plumbingfacilities, and so forth. Most hand wrenches of the adjustable type areadjusted for the particular size of a hex-nut to be turned, for example,by manually turning a worm or a knurled, internally threaded collar.Some wrenches are of the slide-type, wherein a set screw, necessarily ofsturdy construction, is employed to set the wrench jaws a given distanceapart.

It is felt that wrenches of the above types have their disadvantageswhere it is desired to re-set jaw distance a numberof times and toreduce wrench adjustment time to a minimum. Worms and knurled collarstake appreciable time to actuate, and set screws themselves arebothersome to actuate and are likely to fracture, in present contexts ofuse, for certain relatively extreme loads to which hand wrenches aresometimes subject.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to Provide a newand useful slide-wrench which is selfgripping upon the application oftorque to the wrench handle, and yet which admits of the slidableadjustment of the movable wrench jaw merely upon the removal of pressurefrom the wrench handle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new anduseful slide-wrench which utilizes a very small and thin thumb screwonly in those instances where it is desired to maintain a fixed,Wrench-jaw distance for production-line work, in which event, and byvirtue of the present design, no load will be applied to the thumbscrew, and this irrespective of wrench use.

According to the'present invention, a wrench has a handle, a fixed jawintegral therewith and a movable jaw. The movable jaw is provided with aslide head which is adapted for sliding within an undercut, longitudinalgroove area in the handle. A particular point of novelty resides ontheconfiguration of the slide head. The forward and rearward halves of theslide head are angulated downwardly with respect to each other; theforward half is smooth while the rearward half is serrated. Uponpositioning the wrench on an external nut to be turned, for example, andapplying pressure to the wrench handle, the serrated portion of theslide head (of the movable jaw) instantly engages in a frictional andbiting manner the groove area of the handle, thus accomplishing wrenchjaw set. When, however, pressure is removed from the wrench "handle andthewrench is removed from the nut, slight thumb and finger pressure mayguide the smooth areasof the slide head into engagement with the groovearea :so that. the movable .jaw may be adjusted immediately for a newjaw distance.

A thumb screw is incorporated in the design of the wrench so as toprevent the inadvertent dislocation and disengagement of the slide headserrated areas with respect to the groove area when fixed jaw distanceis desired, when the wrench is removed from one nut, for example, and ispositioned to engage another.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel aresetforth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved, slide-type handwrenchaccording to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the movable jaw member employed in thewrench shown in Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary, vertical sections taken along the lines33 and 4-4, respectively, in Figure 1, illustrating the interaction ofthe movable jaw member of Figures 1 and 2 with the principal member ofthe wrench illustrated in Figure 1 when the wrench is in operation toturn, by means of force applied to the handle, an external element suchas a nut (not shown) disposed between the wrench jaws. 7

Figures 3A and 4A are fragmentary, vertical sections taken along thelines 3-3 and 44, respectively, in Figure 1 illustrating the interactionbetween the movable jaw member of Figures 1 and 2 and theprincipalmember of Figure 1 of the wrench in the absence of the application ofpressure to the wrench handle.

Figure 5 is a part-sectional fragmentary, side elevation of the wrenchillustrated in Figure 1, illustrating the manner in which a thumb screwmay be incorporated in the design of the wrench for a set adjustment.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, vertical section takenalong the line 6-6 inFigure 5, illustrating the interaction of the thumb screw with theprincipal member of the wrench.

In Figures 1 and 2 slide wrench 10 includes principal member 11 andmovable jaw member 12. Principal member 11 includes a fixed jaw portion13 and a handle portion 14 integral therewith. Handle portion 14exhibits an underside 15 the extremity 16 of which meets fixed jawportion 13. Disposed in communication with the underside 15 is alongitudinal groove 17 having a top concave portion 18, recessedshoulders 19 and 2259 (delineated by dotted lines 21 and 22 in Figurel), and outwardly curved, longitudinal skirt areas 23 and 24 as is shownwith particularity in Figure 3.

In Figures 2 and 3 it is seen that movable jaw member 12 includes jawportion 25 and slide head 25 integral therewith. The cross-sectionalconfiguration of slide head 26 is important and is shown in Figures 3and 4. Slide head 26 in reality includes two. separate portions, to wit,a smooth sliding portion 27 and a friction producing serrated portion23. Portions 27 and 25 each include an upper surface 29 and 3%),respectively, and inwardly, curved, side neck areas 31 and 32,respectively, the upper surfaces being separated and delineated from theneck areas by shoulder 33. This shoulder 33 is preferably taperedupwardly at portion 34 thereof for relief purposes as shall behereinafter explained. The inwardly curved, side neck areas or surfacesare relieved somewhat as at 35 so as to accommodate the rocking action,hereinafter explained, of the movable jaw member 12.

As is seen by extension lines A and B in Figure 2, the surfaces 29 and30 are angulated downwardly with respect to each other. The same is trueon extension lines C and D relating to the lower contour of areas 31 and32.. Regarding. untapered portion '36 of shoulder 33 it is seen thatthis shoulder is parallel with extension line A-of upper surface 34 Inpractice, it is conceivable that portion 36 may be inclined slightlyupwardly to the left.

26 may rock within the groove area from serrated contact to smoothcontact withthe groove -17.

Reference is now made to Figures 3 and 4 wherein it is recalled that theconfigurations in Figures 3 and 4 apply when an external member isengaged by the jaws and forces of torque are applied to the wrench in adirection which is clock-wise to the viewer. In such event, the verticalsection at line 33 in Figure 1 will be that as illustrated in Figure 3wherein the smooth areas 29 and 31 belonging to portion 27 will beseparated from associated areas of the groove 17. However,-the serratedareas 30 and 32 belonging to portion 28 will be in contact with theskirts and upper area of the groove as shown in Figure 4. Any pressureupon the handle of the wrench will cause a corresponding torque to beapplied to the movable jaw member about some point disposed within thewrench groove. The torque eflects will produce a biting into the grooveareas by the serrated areas belonging to portion 28 of the slide head 26so that the movable jaw member will be in frictional engagement with thegroove sufiicient to impede any tendency of the movable jaw member toback off from the wrench adjustment.

When, however, the wrench is removed from the external member and themovable jaw member is manually urged slightly in a clock-wise directionso as to free the tions as fall within the true spirit and scope of thisinvention.

I claim:

1. A hand wrench including, in combination, a principal membercomprising a handle portion with an underside and a fixed jaw portionintegral therewith and extending laterally from said underside at anextremity thereof, said handle portion being provided with alongitudinal, undercut groove disposed in communication with saidunderside and exhibiting an undercut shoulder on each side thereof; and-a movable jaw member having a jaw portion cooperable with saidprincipal member jaw portion and a slide head, said slide head beingslidably disposed within said principal member groove and havingexterior shoulder means on each side thereof cooperable with arespective one of said undercut shoulders, and said slide head includingserrated means for frictionally engaging said groove so as to lock thepositioning of said slide head within said groove during wrenchoperation when torque is transmitted to said jaw portion, of saidmovable jaw member tending to separate the outer ends of said jawportions, said handle portion, fixed jaw portion, and jaw portion ofsaid movable jaw member being of equal thickness.

groove from the serrated surfaces previously mentioned,

then the smooth surfaces of portion 27 of the slide head 26 will come incontact with the groove so as to permit the sliding adjustment of themovable jaw member. Accordingly, the contact of the smooth areas inportion 27 with the groove is illustrated in Figure 3A, whereas thedisengagement of the serrated areas with the groove is illustrated inFigure 4A.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the manner in which a thumb screw may beincorporated into the wrench structure. It should be mentioned at thistime that the employment of a torque screw is not necessary, unless ofcourse it be desired that the jaws of the wrench maintains a fixeddistance apart even after the wrench is removed from an external memberwith which it was in prior engagement.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 it is seen that to accommodate thethumb screw 600 a vertical, threaded bore 601 may be provided throughthe slide head 26 of the movable jaw member. A lateral cut 602 andrecesses 603 and 604 accommodate the knurled head 605 of the thumb screw600. For purposes of assembly, the head 605 may be a separate part fromshaft 606. The shaft 606 need merely be threaded into the bore 601 andthen the head 605 merely keyed to the shaft 606 in any conventionalmanner.

Accordingly, in the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6 the thumb screwneed only be tightened against the upper area 18 of the groove 17 (seealso Figures 1 and 3) for the wrench to maintain a fixed jaw distance atall times, which feature is of course desirable in the case of assemblyline production. However, it will be noted the loading is imparted onlyto the serrated portions of the movable jaw member and not to the thumbscrew per se. i It will be noted that the shoulders of the groove 17 andthe slide head are'inclined. This is believed desirable since itprovides a gripping action during wrench operation relative to portion27 of the slide head and groove 1-7, and also serves, in effect, toincrease skirt area contact of the groove with the large, curved,serrated neck areas 32 of the slide head.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to its broader aspects, and,therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to we; s such ch d uqq fi e2. A hand wrench including, in combination, a principal membercomprising a handle portion with an underside and a fixed jaw portionintegral therewith and extending laterally from said underside at anextremity thereof, said handle portion being provided with alongitudinal, undercut groove disposed in communication with saidunderside and exhibiting an undercut shoulder on each side thereof; anda movable jaw member having a jaw portion cooperable with said principalmember jaw portion and a slide head, said slide head being slidablydisposed within said principal member groove and having exteriorshoulder means on each side thereof cooperable with a respective one ofsaid undercut shoulders, said slide head including serrated means forfrictionally engaging said groove so as to lock the positioning of saidslide head within said groove during wrench operation when torque istransmitted to said jaw portion of said movable jaw member tending toseparate the outer ends of said jaw portions, said slide head alsoincluding smooth means slidably engageable with said groove, in theabsence of wrench operation and consequential torque transmitted to saidjaw portion of said movable jaw member which would tend to separate theouter ends of said jaw portions, so as to be adapted for translationalmovement within said groove and with respect to said fixed jaw portion,and wherein said groove has outwardly curved, longitudinal, side skirtareas on both sides thereof and said slide head is provided withinwardly curved, side neck areas on both sides thereof, said slide headside neck areas constituting at least in part said serrated means.

3. A hand wrench including, in combination, a principal membercomprising a handle portion with an underside and a fixed jaw portionintegral therewith and extending laterally from said underside at anextremity thereof, said handle portion being provided with alongitudinal, undercut groove disposed in communication with saidunderside and exhibiting an undercut shoulder on each side thereof; anda movable jaw member having a jaw portion cooperable with said principalmember jaw portion and a slide head, said slide head being slidablydisposed within saidprincipal member groove and having exterior shouldermeans on each side thereof cooperable with a respective one of saidundercut shoulders, said slide head including serrated means forfrictionally engaging said groove so as to lock the positioning of saidslide head within said groove during wrench operation when torque istransmitted to said jaw portion of said movable jaw member tending toseparate the outer ends of said jaw portions, said slide head alsoincluding smooth means slidably engageable with said groove, in

the absence of wrench operation and consequential torque transmitted tosaid jaw portion of said movable jaw mem her which would tend toseparate the outer ends of said jaw portions, so as to be adapted fortranslational move ment within said groove and with respect to saidfixed jaw portion, and wherein said slide head has a pair of adjacentupper surfaces angulated downwardly with respect to each other, one ofsaid surfaces constituting at least in part said serrated means, and theremaining surface constituting at least in part said smooth means.

4. A hand Wrench including, in combination, a principal membercomprising a handle portion with an underside and a fixed jaw portionintegral therewith and extending laterally from said underside at anextremity thereof, said handle portion being provided with alongitudinal, undercut groove disposed in communication with saidunderside and exhibiting an undercut shoulder on each side thereof; anda movable jaw member having a jaw portion cooperable with said principalmember jaw portion and a slide head, said slide head being slidablydisposed within said principal member groove and having exteriorshoulder means on each side thereof eooperable with a respective one ofsaid undercut shoulders, said slide head including serrated means forfrictionally engaging said groove so as to lock the positioning of saidslide head within said groove during wrench operation when torque istransmitted to said jaw portion of said movable jaw member tending toseparate the outer ends of said jaw portions, said slide head alsoincluding smooth means slidably engageable with said groove, in theabsence of wrench operation and consequential torque transmitted to saidjaw portion of said movable jaw member which would tend to separate theouter ends of said jaw portions, so as to be adapted for translationalmovement within said groove and with respect to said fixed jaw portion,and wherein said shoulders and shoulder means are angulated upwardly.

5. A hand wrench including, in combination, a principal membercomprising a handle portion with an underside and a fixed jaw portionintegral therewith and extending laterally from said underside at anextremity thereof, said handle portion being provided with alongitudinal, undercut groove disposed in communication with saidunderside and exhibiting an undercut shoulder on each side thereof; anda movable jaw member having a jaw portion cooperable with said principalmember jaw portion and a slide head, said slide head being slidably 6 Kdisposed within said principal member groove and having exteriorshoulder means on each side thereof cooperable with a respective one ofsaid undercut shoulders, said slide head including serrated means forfrictionally engaging said groove so as to lock the positioning of saidslide head within said groove during wrench operation when torque istransmitted to said jaw portion of said movable jaw member tending toseparate the outer ends of said jaw portions, said slide head alsoincluding smooth means slidably engageable with said groove, in theabsence of wrench operation and consequential torque transmitted to saidjaw portion of said movable jaw member which would tend to separate theouter ends of said jaw portions, so as to be adapted for translationalmovement within said groove and with respect to said fixed jaw portion,wherein said slide head has an upper surface constituting at least inpart said serrated means, and wherein said upper surface and said grooveare convex and concave, respectively, and mutually intercooperating.

6. A hand wrench according to claim 2 wherein said slide head has a pairof adjacent upper surfaces angulated downwardly with respect to eachother, one of said surfaces constituting at least in part said serratedmeans, and the remaining surface constituting at least in part saidsmooth means, and wherein said inwardly curved, side neck areas of saidslide head are each composed of a pair of surfaces angulated downwardlywith respect to each other, one of said slide head surfaces constitutingat least in part said serrated means, and the remaining surfaceconstituting at least in part said smooth means.

7. A hand wrench according to claim 3 wherein said shoulders andshoulder means are angulated upwardly, and wherein said upper surfacesand said groove are convex and concave, respectfully, and mutuallyintercooperating.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS603,290 Smith May 3, 1898 632,847 Preston Sept. 12, 1899 767,319 TaylorAug. 9, 1904 867,504 Hartman Oct. 1, 1907 1,155,979 Walters Oct. 5, 19151,673,077 Karlsen June 12, 1928 2,693,730 Ayers Nov. 9, 1954 2,708,385Grinnell May 17, 1955

